Omaha daily bee., 1887-03-13
THE TREES TALE.
The Pioneers of the City's shady
Spots Food for the Axe.

spots ROOD Tor the Axe.
"Woodman spare that tree has often
been thought of by men with gray, thin
hair who never heard the song. Tho
demands of civilization and mod
ern progress, plant and destroy
forests as convenience or profit de.
mands. Not only are the foliage and
fruit trees, planted to exemplify the tasto
of land owner, removed by a subse-
quent possessor, but the sturdy monarchs
of forests prmeval fall obedient to the
wood -hewer's axe to furnish fuel or q
resting place tor mans habitations
whether on farms or in congregated
cities; Great historical events have hap
wide branched shady trees. Yet their
stately presence at such events affords
no greater immunity from the destruction
wrought by time, than Is afforded the
human participants In the events. A
small marble shaft, half covered with
weeds, and surrounded with rckety,
rotten pallng fence stands in lieu of
Penn's great Treaty tree in Philadelphia,
while around are shipyards, the rumble
of carts over the cobble-stone pavements,
tho cry of the fish woman and hawker
and the noise of industry in every man
'ner manifested. The city has its history
in Independence hall.
In Omaha workman are now engaged
in cutting down large trees, not forest
trees that were planted by nature before
Omaha was ever dreamed of and when
Iolling deer lazily licked their launches
where the Nlillard hotel stands and
more lazy Indians smoked in their tepees
where Hers distillery steadily turns out
its liquids, but trees that were planted by
Omaha's early settlers, men who are
dead and have passed away save in tho
p,a Of a fnv frnnHS and thnaa
large full grown shade trees are beng
chopped and trimmed until naught but
the trunk stands when it will come crash.
ing to the ground before the irresistible
destruction" of improvement.
About 1865 Councilman Goodrch's
father owned the property at the corneg
of Sixteenth and Farnam streets. At
that time the old court house stood whero
the Paxton building now is being erected
and the city hall rookery was not IN ex-
istence at all. Sixteenth street was about
eight feet lower than it now is aud re-
mained SO until about seven years ago
when it was filed up to its present level.
About the time first spoken of, twenty
pIoyed Thomas Smith. who is still living
in Omaha, to plant row Of cottonwood
trees along the west line of his lot; the
east side of Sixteenth street. They were
planted and grew rapidly, they were
great favorlte for this reason, though
men Of better judgment in tree planting
but "big weeds" Some time afterwards,
when fire engine No. 3 had its house
built the iremen and citizens of leisure
would spend many sunny, summer hours
under the shade of these trees, smoking
cob pipes and telling old down east
yarns, while waiting the arrival of the
steamboat, prairie schooner train or
,ntI
rich, ,sr., died about twelve years ago and
now workmen are busy cutting down
these trees which he and the Omaha of
his days deemed neat adOrnment to the
city New buildings are going up. The
same time the Goodrich trees were
planted j. p. Black, who was al the time
an extensive hardware and stove dealer,
and Dodge, on both sides of his property.
They have grown big and strong and
healthy. His house, which stood under
them on the corner, was then deemed an
arstocratic mansion, Until a few weeks
ago it was q black, bumped cracked, win.
dowless,. home for vagrants aud
and now its protectors, the strong .limbed
pioneers of the city, are doomed. The
Young Mems Christian association are
about to erect an imposing editice, in
keeping with the progress OF the city,
and the sign is hung among the branches
that the trees must be removed. Mr..
Black, their planter, moved to Chicago
some time ago and is dead,
These old trees looked around Omaha
when there were not 5000 people in it;
when lots between houses were many and
easily had when the bluff on Farnam
street rose abruptly, shutting off tho
view of the western prairie beyond;
where no house or other human habita-
ton stood and the wind whistled through
their boughs each recurring winter, as
they welcomed the thousands who since
have swelled Omaha's population until it
now demands that they be laid low to
ments.
Fatal Railroad Wreck -